1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to packaging pourable materials and, in particular, to a package blank for forming a box with a slide.
2. General Background and State of the Art
A wide range of pourable products, such as candies, cereals, laundry soaps, and many other products, are dispensed in cardboard boxes. To access the contents, a user must generally open the top of the box. Sometimes the contents are held in a wax paper bag inside the box, and the bag must be opened as well. To store the contents, the user closes the bag and then closes the box.
Designs of boxes and of re-sealable bags are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 6,435,402 (“Package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,360,942 (“Multiple compartment package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,273,332 (“Package design”), U.S. Pat. No. 6,116,499 (“Package design”), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 (“Folding package”), all of which are incorporated by reference herein.
In manufacturing the box, it is preferable that the box be such that it can be delivered to the end-manufacturer as a “tube box,” which refers to a box that is partially assembled but that is collapsed. Automated machinery at the end-user uncollapses the “tube,” then folds and secures top or bottom flaps to form a box with an open end. The machinery can then fill the box with a pourable product, or a bag filled with a pourable product.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,505,373 discloses a box for conveniently storing and dispensing pourable items. The box has a back wall and a slide connected to the back wall. The slide has a slide opening and two side tabs extending from the slide. A front wall with an opening is connected to the back wall. The box also has an interior supporting wall having first and second side slits. The slide is disposed within the box, with each of the tabs being inserted into a corresponding one of the slits. The box has an open position in which the openings are aligned and in which the contents of the box may be poured out. The box also has a closed position for storing the contents.
It is desirable to provide a box that can be manufactured and provided as a “tube,” that also has a slide mechanism for opening and closing the box.